2019–20 San Juan Knights season
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2024) |
| 2019–20 San Juan Knights season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Randy Alcantara |
| Results | |
| Record | 26–4 (.867) |
| Place | Division: 1st (North) |
| Playoff finish | National finals (lost vs. Davao Occidental, 1–3) |
| San Juan Knights seasons | |
The 2019–20 San Juan Knights season was the second season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
The Knights entered the season as defending champions, and continuing their winning traditions by going undefeated in their first ten games. Eventually, they would clinch the top seed in the North Division with a record of 26–4. The twenty-six regular season wins is a record for most regular season wins in a single season, a record San Juan shares with the Davao Occidental Tigers this season and the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in 2023 and 2024.
The Knights began their playoff campaign with back-to-back sweeps against the Pasay Voyagers and Pampanga Giant Lanterns before meeting in the division finals against the Makati Super Crunch. The series was tied at 1–1 before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the season for one year. Once play resumed in 2021, San Juan would beat Makati by a 77-point lead to advance to the national finals against the rival Davao Occidental Tigers in a rematch of last season's series. Unfortunately for the Knights, they would lose the series this time around in four games, ending their title defense.[1]
The team played all of their home games this season at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Regular season
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Juan Knights | 30 | 26 | 4 | .867 | — | Playoffs |
| 2 | Manila Stars | 30 | 25 | 5 | .833 | 1 | |
| 3 | Makati Super Crunch | 30 | 22 | 8 | .733 | 4 | |
| 4 | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 30 | 21 | 9 | .700 | 5 | |
| 5 | Bataan Risers | 30 | 20 | 10 | .667 | 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2a) If two teams are tied, head-to-head match-up; 2b) If three or more teams are tied, head-to-head point quotient; 3) overall point quotient; 4) coin toss.
Schedule
| 2019–20 San Juan Knights season schedule | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Date | Opponent | Score | Location | Record | Recap |
| 1 | June 14 | Bacoor City | W 77–76 | Strike Gymnasium | 1–0 | |
| 2 | June 28 | Pasay | W 74–72 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 2–0 | |
| 3 | July 4 | Rizal | W 101–86 | San Andres Sports Complex | 3–0 | |
| 4 | July 10 | Bacolod | W 95–71 | Olivarez College | 4–0 | |
| 5 | July 18 | Sarangani | W 100–77 | Batangas City Coliseum | 5–0 | |
| 6 | July 23 | Parañaque | W 81–65 | Caloocan Sports Complex | 6–0 | |
| 7 | July 27 | Bataan | W 87–79 | Ibalong Centrum for Recreation | 7–0 | |
| 8 | August 5 | Quezon City | W 89–71 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 8–0 | |
| 9 | August 12 | Nueva Ecija | W 109–95 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 9–0 | |
| 10 | August 19 | Cebu | W 88–69 | Cuneta Astrodome | 10–0 | |
| 11 | August 23 | General Santos | L 91–97 | Muntinlupa Sports Complex | 10–1 | |
| 12 | September 2 | Marikina | W 87–73 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 11–1 | |
| 13 | September 13 | Basilan | W 89–86 | Olivarez College | 12–1 | |
| 14 | September 17 | Pampanga | W 102–97 | Angeles University Foundation | 13–1 | |
| 15 | September 23 | Bulacan | W 90–88 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 14–1 | |
| 16 | October 1 | Bicol | W 98–69 | Muntinlupa Sports Complex | 15–1 | |
| 17 | October 7 | Batangas City | L 88–93 | Batangas State University | 15–2 | |
| 18 | October 15 | Valenzuela | W 78–68 | Caloocan Sports Complex | 16–2 | |
| 19 | October 21 | Muntinlupa | W 91–63 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 17–2 | |
| 20 | November 5 | Biñan City | W 89–84 | Alonte Sports Arena | 18–2 | |
| 21 | November 9 | Imus | W 97–68 | Batangas City Coliseum | 19–2 | |
| 22 | November 25 | Makati | W 88–86 | Makati Coliseum | 20–2 | |
| 23 | November 29 | Manila | L 70–75 | El Salvador City Gymnasium | 20–3 | |
| 24 | January 6 | Navotas | W 112–95 | San Andres Sports Complex | 21–3 | |
| 25 | January 11 | Pasig | W 109–99 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 22–3 | |
| 26 | January 18 | Davao Occidental | W 84–65 | University of Southeastern Philippines | 23–3 | |
| 27 | January 23 | Iloilo | W 70–67 | Ynares Sports Arena | 24–3 | |
| 28 | January 31 | Zamboanga | L 64–69 | Cuneta Astrodome | 24–4 | |
| 29 | February 4 | Caloocan | W 111–88 | Cuneta Astrodome | 25–4 | |
| 30 | February 8 | Mindoro | W 114–68 | Valenzuela Astrodome | 26–4 | |
| Source: Schedule | ||||||
Playoffs
Schedule
| 2020 San Juan Knights playoffs schedule | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Game | Date | Opponent | Score | Location | Series | Recap |
| Division quarterfinals | 1 | February 15 | Pasay | W 75–74 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 1–0 | |
| 2 | February 20 | Pasay | W 74–67 | Angeles University Foundation | 2–0 | ||
| Division semifinals | 1 | February 28 | Pampanga | W 86–84 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 1–0 | |
| 2 | March 4 | Pampanga | W 91–83 | San Andres Sports Complex | 2–0 | ||
| Division finals | 1 | March 9 | Makati | W 76–60 | Filoil Flying V Centre | 1–0 | |
| 2 | March 11 | Makati | L 88–91 | Filoil Flying V Centre[a] | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | March 10[b] | Makati | W 131–54 | Subic Bay Gymnasium | 2–1 | ||
| National finals | 1 | March 17[b] | Davao Occidental | L 75–77 | Subic Bay Gymnasium | 0–1 | |
| 2 | March 18[b] | Davao Occidental | W 70–65 | Subic Bay Gymnasium | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | March 20[b] | Davao Occidental | L 58–66 | Subic Bay Gymnasium | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | March 21[b] | Davao Occidental | L 88–89 | Subic Bay Gymnasium | 1–3 | ||
| Source: Schedule | |||||||
- Notes
- ^ Game 2 of the North Division finals was moved from its original venue (Makati Coliseum) due to the impending COVID-19 pandemic. The game was also played behind closed doors.
- ^ a b c d e Postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
- ^ Lozada, Bong (March 21, 2021). "'Payback' as Davao Occidental wins MPBL national title, tops San Juan in OT". Inquirer.net. Retrieved March 22, 2021.